Dezeen's top 10 non-fossil fuel car and truck designs of 2021

Electric vehicles were a hot topic this year amid growing concern about the climate impact of petrol and diesel engines. For our review of 2021 Dezeen rounds up 10 non-fossil-fueled vehicles, including a coupe designed by Virgil Abloh and an electric car by Heatherwick Studio.

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Photo courtesy of Mercedes-Benz

Project Maybach by Virgil Abloh and Mercedes-Benz

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz unveiled Project Maybach, a solar-cell-powered electric show car developed in partnership with Virgil Abloh, shortly after the American fashion designer's death.

The off-road coupe is nearly six metres long and has a transparent front bonnet housing solar cells that would be used to charge the battery.

Find out more about Project Maybach ›

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Image courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company

Heritage Series Grandeur by Hyundai

The Heritage Series Grandeur is a modernised, all-electric concept version of the 1980s Hyundai Grandeur saloon car.

It retains the original car's boxy shape and single-spoke steering wheel while introducing 2021-ready updates, such as LED headlights and an ultra-wide touch screen dashboard display.

Find out more about the Heritage Series Grandeur ›

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Photo courtesy of Renault

Renault 4L Suite No.4 by Mathieu Lehanneur

Another example of a classic car given an electrified makeover, the Renault 4L Suite No.4 has the same lines and exterior dimensions as the 1960s original but features new panoramic windows across much of its back, sides and roof. The roof also contains transparent solar panels.

It was dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur, who said the Suite No.4 "isn't a car, it's travel architecture".

Find out more about the Suite No.4 ›

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Photo is by Yanli Tao, courtesy of Heatherwick Studio

Airo by Heatherwick Studio

British designer Thomas Heatherwick's studio this year unveiled its prototype of Airo, an electric car created for Chinese brand IM Motors that is set to go into production in 2023.

Heatherwick has promised Airo will "vacuum up pollutants from other cars" as it drives, by virtue of it being fitted with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtering system.

Find out more about Airo ›

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Photo is by Richard Thompson III

Pickup by Canoo

In November, US automotive start-up Canoo introduced an all-electric pickup truck with a variety of hidden tricks.

For example, the modular truck bed is extendable, while there is a fold-out workbench in the space where the engine would traditionally be found.

Find out more about the Canoo Pickup ›

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Image courtesy of XPeng

Flying car by XPeng

Chinese manufacturer XPeng plans to mass-release this electric flying car as soon as 2024.

The design is unusual among urban air motility vehicle concepts in that it would be capable of driving on the road as well as functioning in the air, with a foldable dual rotor mechanism converting it from a car to a flying machine.

Find out more about the XPeng flying car ›

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Image courtesy of Lexus

ROV Concept by Lexus

This off-road buggy is not electric but instead runs an internal combustion engine that uses hydrogen in place of fossil fuel.

Lexus, which developed the concept, said the vehicle generates "near-zero emissions" while retaining the rumbling engine tone and instant responsiveness beloved by petrol heads.

Find out more about the ROV Concept ›

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Image courtesy of PriestmanGoode

New Car for London by PriestmanGoode

The New Car for London is a driverless, electric ride-hailing vehicle concept designed by PriestmanGoode.

It is intended to be specific to London to combat the global domination of major ride-sharing apps, with the car's angular profile informed by the British capital's brutalist buildings and its interiors reminiscent of the Tube's distinctive upholstery.

Find out more about the New Car for London ›

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Image courtesy of BMW

i Vision Circular by BMW

BMW's i Vision Circular concept car is electric, but what sets it apart from other battery-powered vehicles is its ability to disassemble at the touch of a button.

Designed to demonstrate how the automobile industry could embrace circular economic principles, it is made from recycled and recyclable materials and held together by detachable connections, rather than permanent adhesives, so the parts can be separated and reused.

Find out more about the i Vision Circular ›

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Photo courtesy of Volta Trucks

Volta Zero by Volta Trucks and Astheimer

This 16-tonne electric lorry, developed by Swedish startup Volta Trucks in collaboration with Warwick-based consultancy Astheimer, was named product design of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.

By placing the batteries in the chassis, the designers were able to free up space in the driver's cab, with the low, central sitting position and panoramic windows intended to be safer for pedestrians and other road users than standard heavy goods vehicles.

Find out more about the Volta Zero ›

The post Dezeen's top 10 non-fossil fuel car and truck designs of 2021 appeared first on Dezeen.

#2021review #transport #yearlyreviews #all #design #technology #cars #electriccars #vehicles #roundups #electricvehicles #trucks

Lexus unveils hydrogen-powered concept vehicle for off-road driving

Japanese carmaker Lexus has developed a concept for a recreational off-highway vehicle with a combustion engine fueled by hydrogen instead of petrol.

The buggy has many of the hallmarks of a regular recreational off-highway vehicle (ROV), including exposed suspension and chunky tyres, but features Lexus' first hydrogen engine.

Lexus's ROV Concept vehicle features a dark bronze body and tubular black cage frame

According to the brand, the ROV Concept generates "near-zero emissions" through its use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

This is stored in a high-pressure tank at the rear of the vehicle, which is shielded by a sleek black protective cage and a lightweight dark-bronze body.

The vehicle is powered by a hydrogen combustion engine

Unlike Lexus's LF-FC concept car from 2015, which is a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) powered by hydrogen, the ROV Concept sees hydrogen injected straight into the combustion chamber of a one-litre engine, which works exactly like that of a traditional fossil-fuel vehicle.

In a bid to appeal to automotive purists, Lexus says this preserves the engine tone and immediate responsiveness that can be lost with a battery-powered vehicle.

"Importantly, the new hydrogen engine produces close to zero emissions, with only a negligible amount of engine oil burned during driving," Lexus said.

The ROV Concept is designed to be driven on any terrain

The brand has not announced when a similar hydrogen-powered motor might be integrated into its actual fleet.

Currently, two hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles from major carmakers are already on the market – the Hyundai Nexo and Toyota Mirai.

A number of other brands have similar cars in the pipeline, from Land Rover's Defender to the BMW iX5 Hydrogen.

However, most hydrogen produced today is derived from natural gas, a fossil fuel that is energy-intensive to refine and in the process emits "significant" amounts of CO2.

An analogue metre keeps the intention on driving

In the future, this carbon could be captured and stored underground, to create a product the natural gas industry is marketing as "blue hydrogen".

But a recent study found that while this reduces carbon emissions, the resulting hydrogen still has a 20 per cent greater greenhouse gas footprint than simply burning natural gas or coal for heat.

[

Read:

BMW won't ditch combustion engine until "poorer countries do their job" on EV infrastructure

](https://www.dezeen.com/2021/11/12/bmw-electric-vehicles-cop26/)

The only way to make hydrogen with zero emissions is using renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen in a process called electrolysis.

This so-called "green hydrogen" currently accounts for less than one per cent of global production and is hard to scale due to the vast amount of green energy required in the process.

Powering all of today's hydrogen production in this way would require more renewable energy than is produced by the European Union every year.

The seats feature five-point seatbelts and integrated suspension for a smooth ride

"If I compare the amount of electricity required to power a battery car or a hydrogen car, you need three times more electricity to make the car move on hydrogen," Cambridge University engineering professor Julian Allwood said during RIBA's recent climate conference.

"That would be fine if we had an excess supply of non-emitting electricity to make this hydrogen. But we don't, we're short on it."

As a result, most experts suggest using hydrogen to decarbonise only those industries that cannot be easily electrified.

This includes long-haul freight and aviation, with Airbus and Hybrid Air Vehicles among a number of companies that have developed concepts for hydrogen-powered aircrafts.

A small black roof is perched on its cage frame

A number of car manufacturers recently signed a multilateral deal proposed at COP26 last month to transition to 100 per cent zero-emission cars and vans. However, out of the world's five biggest car manufacturers – Lexus-owner Toyota, Volkswagen, Daimler, Ford and Honda – Ford was the only one to sign.

In an interview with Dezeen, BMW's head of sustainability strategy Thomas Becker cited the lack of EV charging infrastructure in less developed countries as a reason for the hold-out on transitioning to electric vehicles, arguing that poorer countries should first "do their job properly".

The post Lexus unveils hydrogen-powered concept vehicle for off-road driving appeared first on Dezeen.

#transport #all #design #news #cars #vehicles #lexus #hydrogen

Minnesota bets on electric school buses to improve health and cut emissions

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The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's pilot project has awarded bus vendors and school districts $2.1 million of Volkswagen settlement money to buy eight electric buses.
https://energynews.us/2021/11/15/minnesota-bets-on-electric-school-buses-to-improve-health-and-cut-emissions/
#midwest, #vehicles, #news, #electric, #buses, #school

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Major EV Charging Hub Set Near New York City

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A site touted as the largest electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in the U.S. is taking shape at an industrial park in New Jersey, just minutes from New York City.
https://www.powermag.com/major-ev-charging-hub-set-near-new-york-city/
#charging, #vehicles, #news, #evs, #storage, #electric, #distributed, #energy

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Canoo's electric and extendable Pickup truck includes pop-out workspaces

US automotive start-up Canoo has created an all-electric pickup truck with a streamlined look and hidden utility features as one of its first vehicles.

The Canoo Pickup conceals a range of features such as storage, workbenches and charging points within a pared-back chassis.

The Pickup truck is Canoo's third vehicle to be built on the same platform

It also includes an extendable flatbed, so it can offer the payload capacity of a much bigger truck.

It is one of the first vehicles designed by Canoo, which set out to not only electrify the classic pickup truck but imagine ways the model could help users in their work or weekend trips.

The truck includes an extendable flatbed that can go from six to eight feet

For instance, where the engine would traditionally be at the front of the truck, there is a fold-out workbench, with storage compartments and power sockets points for charging tools.

There are also similar flip-down tables with sockets built into the side of the truck, along with more storage and a step to aid roof access.

Where the engine would usually be, there is storage space and a fold-down worktable with power sockets

The modular truck bed can be enlarged from six to eight feet in length by pulling out the extension at the rear, which includes matching space-dividers to help organise items.

There is also versatility built into the cab, which has two seats in front and a rear that can be configured for various uses or filled with additional seats.

The side of the vehicle also has concealed features

The cab and truck bed can also accommodate camper shells, so the Pickup can be adapted for mobile housing on recreational trips.

Other features of the cabin include wide-angle viewing through the windscreen and a configurable pegboard for cupholders, racks and device connections.

According to tthe brand, Canoo Pickup's features were partly enabled by the truck's engineering, which packs the technology needed to power the vehicle into a relatively tight space.

Canoo set out to give the truck a streamlined exterior

The Pickup is engineered on the company's tested Multi-Purpose Platform (MPP1), which it is currently using across all of its vehicles.

Canoo claims it integrates all the electric powertrain components in a flat and efficient manner, creating more room for other functions.

"Traditional EV platforms have power units, shock towers and mechanical steering columns that protrude into the vehicle and take up space," said Canoo.

"By incorporating steer-by-wire and other space-saving technologies, the thin leaf spring-based platform contains a full powertrain and motor which results in a flatbed size comparable to America's bestselling pickup truck on the footprint of a compact car."

The truck bed also has built-in storage and organisation features

Among the Pickup's other features are a modular roof rack and integrated tow hooks, skid plates and fog lights in the bumpers.

There is no logo on the outside of the vehicle, with Canoo's signature headlights and tail lights serving as a brand identifier instead.

The cab combines environmentally conscious materials with transparent sections that show the vehicle's inner workings

The interior combines environmentally conscious material choices with sections of transparency to showcase the engineering components that are usually hidden.

The headliner fabric is derived from recycled PET bottles, while the floor material is made from recycled car tires and rubber, and the seats are upholstered in a durable alternative to leather.

The cab provides good visibility for the driver

Canoo plans to rollout the vehicle in 2023 or later.

"Our pickup truck is as strong as the toughest trucks out there and is designed to be exponentially more productive," said Canoo CEO Tony Aquila.

"This truck works for you. We made accessories for people who use trucks – on the job, weekends, adventure."

The Pickup is compatible with camper shells so it can be transformed into a mobile home

Canoo was founded in 2017 and formerly envisioned operating with a vehicle subscription model, but has now shifted to commercial sales.

Its Pickup ttruck is shortlisted in the product design category of the Dezeen Awards, alongside Nendo's build-your-own football and Playfool's Forest Crayons containing the subtle colours of Japanese wood.

Photography is by Richard Thompson III.

The post Canoo's electric and extendable Pickup truck includes pop-out workspaces appeared first on Dezeen.

#transport #all #design #technology #vehicles #electricvehicles

A New Frontier: Quantum Computing in the Power Sector

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Digitalization, driven by big data, the industrial internet of things (IIOT), and even artificial intelligence (AI), has made its mark on the power industry, allowing for greater transparency into operations and helping to ramp up efficiency, reliability, and profitability. However, as some experts point out, power operations are quickly growing ever more complex, and “classical” systems may reach a level of “saturation” in their ability to solve problems. A promising emerging solution is embedded in quantum computing, a relatively new field that leverages the unique rules of quantum mechanics to process information.
https://www.powermag.com/a-new-frontier-quantum-computing-in-the-power-sector/
#full, #electric, #iiot, #business, #coverage, #technology, #vehicles, #news, #power

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Plywood furniture turns 1990s van into mobile home for Ecuadorian couple

Architects Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones have transformed a Chevy van into a house-on-wheels for a young couple that includes a kitchenette, a fold-up dining table and a full-sized mattress.

The project, Dodo Van, involved the conversion of a 1993 van made by the American car company Chevrolet. The couple – a lawyer and an environmental engineer – purchased the vehicle for their travels and their work with local communities.

Architects Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones have converted a van into a mini home

To oversee the conversion of the van, they turned to architects Juan Alberto Andrade and María José Váscones, who are based in Guayaquil and have also completed an office in the city.

The brief for the van called for creating a simple living environment within its five square metres of space, and under its 1.86-metre ceiling.

"The area conditions the space – developing a project that is flexible enough to adapt to different everyday situations and solving the basic needs of living," the designers said.

The home includes a kitchenette, fold-up dining table and a place to sleep

The exterior was left mainly untouched. Within the van, the designers created a pared-down living environment that includes a kitchenette, a lounge space, a portable table for eating and working, and a sleeping platform for two people.

The van's seating can accommodate the transportation of six passengers.

The architects had to create something that was able to adapt to everyday situations within the limited space

Service functions were incorporated into the long sides of the vehicle, behind the front seats.

"Design strategies were developed that allowed the space to be transformed into various configurations according to its needs, based on the decision to liberate longitudinal circulation and maintain the interior morphology of the vehicle," the designers said.

Cabinets open out and can be used to store kitchen utensils or act as countertops

Occupying the front portion is the compact kitchen, which features several cabinets and a sink. Small, triangular cuts in the cabinet doors enable them to be opened without the use of handles. One of the doors folds down and becomes a table or countertop.

Next to the kitchen is the living space, where the team placed a bench containing storage space. In front of this area is a large trunk that hides the van's portable table, which has legs that can be easily taken on and off.

The rear furniture can be converted into a platform for a full-sized mattress.

"The mattress is custom made," the designers said. "It involves three pieces that fold, making them easier to store."

The mattress can be folded into three when not in use

Interior walls are clad in six-millimetre-thick plywood, while 12- and 15-millimetre boards were used for the flooring and furniture.

A natural matte finish is meant to make the van feel more spacious. Mineral wool was used to provide thermal and acoustical insulation on the floor, walls and ceiling.

While the interior is lined with plywood, the exterior has been left largely untouched

The interior is powered by an independent battery linked to the van's alternator and a 110-volt transformer. The van has tanks for storing both clean and used water.

Other mobile dwellings include a 1960s travel trailer that Edmonds + Lee Architects converted into an office and crash pad for a tech entrepreneur, and a canvas caravan by Belgian designer Axel Enthoven that is shaped like the Sydney Opera House.

The photography is byJAG Studio.

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Project credits:

Architects in charge: Juan Alberto Andrade, María José Váscones

Collaborators: Cuqui Rodriguez

Providers: Masisa El Fortín, Mega Metales, Mega Kywi, Acimco

Local hand work: Eusebio Tomalá

The post Plywood furniture turns 1990s van into mobile home for Ecuadorian couple appeared first on Dezeen.

#transport #all #design #plywood #vehicles #caravans #microhomes #ecuador

Spannende einblicke in die maschinerie und maschinisten ausbildung von einem ausbilder bei der deutschen berufsfeuerwehr in NRW:

Tankfüllstutzen vs Sammelstück

Bin grad erst zufällig über den kanal gestolpert... Durchaus interessanter kontent. ;)

#Feuerwehr #Berufsfeuerwehr #Freiwillige-Feuerwehr #Maschinen #Maschinist #Pumpe #Fahrzeuge #randomshit ;)
#german #professional #fire #fighters #engines #pumps #training #vehicles #randomshit ;)

.oO( Scotty ́s Maschinisten Channel ;) )

Electric vehicle adoption in India will be led by three-wheelers

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Electric vehicles will account for 65-75% of new three-wheeler (3W) sales by 2030. Intra-city transport buses will see 25-40% EV penetration and two-wheelers 25-35%. In four-wheeler passenger vehicles, the market will be driven by shared mobility, while just 10-15% of new car sales for personal mobility will be electric.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2020/11/06/electric-vehicle-adoption-in-india-will-be-led-by-three-wheelers/
#Cars, #Technology, #electromobility, #R&D, #Electric, #EV, #Vehicles

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